1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus with a first housing and a second housing which constitute the exterior of the apparatus and serve dually as an original feeding guide.
2. Related Background Art
Traditionally, a facsimile apparatus is structured with a main body frame which serves to be a nucleus to fabricate the apparatus wholly by combining three parts, an upper cover, a lower cover, and the main frame as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,100.
Also, recently, there has been disclosed an apparatus structured with two parts, an integrated body of the main frame and the lower cover, and the upper cover which is incorporated therewith, to fabricate the apparatus wholly such as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/710,836 filed on Jun. 5, 1991.
In a facsimile apparatus, a cover serving as its upper cover, on which an operation panel constituting the external body of the apparatus, is installed on the cover for the main body of the apparatus, a lower cover, in which an original reading system and recording system are incorporated. In the above-mentioned cover and the cover for the main body of the apparatus, the original reading system, recording system, and others are installed per unit, and the structure is arranged so that the fabrication of an apparatus is completed through a multistage assembling process.
In the above-mentioned apparatus, an original which is inserted into an original inlet provided between the operation panel and the cover is carried to be reading unit while being guided by a guide member separately provided between them. Then, subsequent to the image of the original having been read, the original is exhausted again from the original outlet provided between the operation panel and the cover to an exhausted sheet tray arranged outside the apparatus.
However, according to the prior art described above, a guide member for guiding the conveyance of the original is separately provided between the operation panel and the cover. Consequently, the number of parts is increased with the resultant increase in the number of the assembling processes. In addition, the assembly is required per unit, leading to a higher cost and a larger size of the apparatus as well.